Of all the breakfasts in the world, this recipe, adapted from one prepared at the Little River Inn just south of the town of Mendocino, California, is one of my favorites. The pancakes are served with a big spoonful of strawberry compote in the center. To really gild the lily, you can top that with a spoonful of whipped cream.
4 SERVINGS
12 |
tablespoons (1½ sticks) butter |
1 |
cup all-purpose flour |
1 |
teaspoon baking powder |
1 |
teaspoon sugar |
¼ |
teaspoon salt |
1½ |
cups milk |
½ |
cup half-and-half |
|
Grated zest of 1 orange |
3 |
large eggs, separated |
|
Quick Strawberry Compote (see below) |
Melt the butter and let it cool slightly.
Meanwhile, stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the milk, half-and-half and orange zest. The mixture will be very liquid; don’t worry.
Whisk in the egg yolks. This will thicken the batter slightly. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and stir them gently into the batter. (You don’t need to fold them; the batter is not that delicate.) This will thicken the batter to about the consistency of a good homemade eggnog. Whisk in the melted butter. (The recipe can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated, tightly covered, overnight.)
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until drops of water skitter across the surface. Slowly pour ¼ cup of the batter in the center of the skillet, forming as much of a circle as you can. (Using a ladle or measuring cup with a lip makes this easier.)
Cook until the bottom of the pancake is lightly browned and the top begins to look slightly dry, about 3 minutes. Flip the pancake and cook until it feels somewhat firm when pressed lightly in the center, about 2 minutes more.
Remove from the pan and keep warm in a 200-degree oven as you continue with the rest of the batter. Serve 2 pancakes per person, with a generous portion of compote.
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
½ |
pound strawberries, rinsed and hulled |
¼ |
cup sugar |
1 |
tablespoon fresh orange juice |
Place the strawberries, sugar and orange juice in a food processor and pulse 4 or 5 times just to chop the berries small. Do not puree.
Transfer the mixture to a small nonstick skillet and cook over medium-high heat until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Set aside until ready to use. Serve warm or at room temperature.